EPA to approve American Airlines use of surface coating to fight coronavirus

The US EPA is set to announce Monday it will issue an emergency exemption to the state of Texas permitting it to allow American Airlines to use a new surface coating that kills coronaviruses for up to seven days, sources briefed on the matter said. EPA officials said the agency would approve the emergency exemption requests under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) to allow the use of SurfaceWise2 — a product manufactured by Allied BioScience — by both American Airlines and Texas-based Total Orthopedics Sports & Spine’s two clinics for up to a year. EPA officials said the product was aimed at providing added protection in public spaces that could increase consumer confidence in resuming air travel. EPA officials said the surface coating inactivated viruses and bacteria within two hours of application and kept working against them for up to seven days. The EPA will allow the product’s use at American Airlines airport facilities in Texas and on planes with flights originating in the state, the officials said, without providing more details. The initial application and any reapplication must occur in Texas.<br/>